PAST Undergraduate students

Project Lead, Content Specialist

Ruqayah is a second year sport media student at Ryerson with a minor in marketing. Her love for sports led her to join this incredible program. As a visible minority, she hopes to encourage others to think outside the box. With a passion for the digital side of things, she has helped many small businesses/ local sports teams with their graphic design needs as a way to enhance her skills in in digital content. She also has conceptual knowledge and hands-on experience in live event production, journalism, digital media and content creation. Working with GXS since her first year at Ryerson, Ruqayah has worked as the team lead for the 2020 Hijabi Ballers Community Conference, organizing and helping with the logistics of the event. In her free time, she loves hanging out with her seven siblings, cheering on the Leafs and managing her henna business.

Project Lead

Natasha is a third year sport media student at Ryerson University. As a former National Team and Ryerson Varsity fencer, she brings her experience as an athlete to her approach with sport media. Completing a minor in business, Natasha is interested in pursuing a career in sport law. Producing a live radio show for the past two and a half years about women in the sport industry, Natasha is passionate about changing the stigma around females in sport. Working with GXS since her first year at Ryerson, she has helped run and organize many of the events with She’s4Sports, OSBA features, and the announcement of the Sportsnet Diversity and Gender Equity Award.

Project Lead, Web Developer, Content Specialist

Josh Kim is a first year sport media student with a passion for digital media, live content creation, and journalism in sport. Currently a photographer with Ryerson University, Josh has had the pleasure of documenting a wide range of events from the ECHL, OHL, PWHPA, and NCAA. In regards to journalism, Josh is currently a staff writer and the director of photography with 49 Sportnet, a staff writer for The Hockey Writers, and an NHL columnist for The Puck Authority. He is also the host of the Get Your Head in the Game podcast, which connects mental health and sport. Josh looks to bring his wealth of experience in live event coverage, content creation, and journalism in order to consistently improve GXS Lab’s content presence and website structure. For a full display of his work, please visit his website.

Project Lead

Matthew is a second year sport media student with a minor in public relations and business. He possesses theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in live event production, sports journalism, digital media production, multi-platform marketing and sport entertainment management. Matthew aspires to be a sports media professional who helps to combat issues that continue to plague sport, such as homophobia, sexism and racism. In his first full year with the GXS Lab, Matthew looks forward to taking on a leadership role in important, innovative projects. In his free time, Matthew enjoys watching sports, walking his dog and catching up with his friends.

Project Lead, Video Content Coordinator

Ryan Ward is a fourth year sport media student and freelance video content creator. He possesses a background in shooting sports, translating to projects in documentary, short feature, event, and commercial work. This is Ryan’s third year working with the lab and he has contributed to projects with Tennis Canada as well as small event work. Most recently, he contributed as the director of photography and lead editor for OSBA: All Access, a web series following high school prep teams from around the province. He loves telling stories that offer unique perspectives and viewpoints from traditional media.  In his final year at Ryerson, Ryan will continue to help lead content creation and storytelling for GXS Lab.

Social Media Manager, Project Lead

Crina Mustafa is a first year Sport Media student with an interest in producing social media content and sport journalism. She writes basketball and tennis content for Unbenched Sports, and is also the head of photography for them. Crina also writes basketball content for The Intermission Sports and is the social media manager for Raptors Cage, a sports website that reports on the Toronto Raptors. On the Raptors Cage Instagram page, you can find the show that she hosts, called "Raptors Rumors." Crina looks to bring her social media and writing experience to GXS Lab and grow their platform on social media. 

Project Lead

Isabelle has been with GXSLab since her first year at Ryerson. She is currently a second year studying sport media and pursuing a minor in business essentials. She has run events with She’s4sports and been a crew member for projects with OSBA. She has a passion for content creation and live events. In her free time she is a talent and one of the producer’s for the Unravelled podcast. Isabelle also has a passion for fashion and is an event coordinator for StyleCircle, a student-run publication at Ryerson. She is very happy to be back with the team and is excited for this year’s content.

Project Lead

Patricia is going into her second year with the GXS Lab and is in her third year of Sport Media at Ryerson. She has a background in marketing, event planning, and game day operations with the OHL Barrie Colts and the Toronto Blue Jays. During her time with GXS, Patricia has helped run events for Shes4Sports as well as helped out with projects for OSBA. She is also the Co-Lead for Sport Media Connected which is the mentorship program within Sport Media. She has a passion for marketing and event planning in which she hopes to continue to grow and gain professional experience within the Lab. Patricia is very excited and cannot wait to see what this year has in store. 

Writing Team Lead

Angela is a fourth year sport media student and a marketing enthusiast. She is leading the GXSLab writing team with hopes of creating impactful material. She has a passion for strategy and design - recognizing how writing is interwoven in all different aspects. She aspires to use her platform in the future to educate and raise awareness for different social issues. She hopes demonstrate leadership and use her voice one day to inspire the marginalized communities. 

Executive Producer, SportTokz with Sportprofz

Chelsea recently earned her bachelor’s degree in Professional Communication with a minor in Sport Marketing at Ryerson University. Her goal is to build a career in marketing and content production in the sport industry. 

She has spent the past 4 years developing her toolkit by working in various positions in sport. She has worked for the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, where she had the opportunity to wear various hats assisting with PR communications, marketing and sponsorship. This is also where she got her start in graphic design and she have been able to excel at her designs working with Ryerson Athletics. Currently, Chelsea holds five part-time jobs that range between working in game operations, photography, content production, social media and marketing. Her current employers include the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, Toronto Argos, and the National Hockey League. This summer Chelsea was offered the opportunity to wear the Executive Producer hat where she oversees the Digital Management of SportTokz With SportProfz and participate in the creative effort, from attracting/scheduling panel talent, scripting, marketing, and advisory and supervising capacities. Other responsibilities include brand management, marketing, website admin, video post-production, podcast production and digital graphics. 

Chelsea is driven through storytelling and creating unique experiences via digital content and live entertainment. She believes her most valued quality is that she is always eager to learn new skills and improve on the ones she already has with new ideas.

Media and Journalism Contributor

Shireen Ahmed is a writer, public speaker, mentor, and award-winning sports activist who focuses on Muslim women, and the intersections of racism and misogyny in sports. Her work has been featured and discussed in various media outlets. Her expertise is sought by major television and radio networks. She is on the advisory board of FARE Network (UK), Hijabi Ballers (Canada) as well as part of the screening committee with the Canadian Sport Film Festival. She mentors aspiring sports journalists, and hopes to unite her love of the film Bend It Like Beckham with her academic work. .

Shireen is part of the “Burn It All Down” feminist sports podcast team. The first feminist sports podcast that analyzes sports and sports culture from an intersectional feminist lens. When she isn't watching soccer, she drinks coffee as a tool of resistance. She was one of the 2019 TEDxToronto Speakers, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Media Production at Ryerson University. She lives in Mississauga with her family and her cat.

Research Assistant

Danica Vidotto is a Ph.D. candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and the iSchool: Knowledge, Media, Design Institute (KMDI) at the University of Toronto. An intersectional, feminist sports scholar, Danica’s research investigates how media is produced explicitly and implicitly, by and for whom, and specifically, the mediated experiences of BIPOC and women in sports. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Danica’s work aims to further destabilize traditional discourses around gender and racial equity in sports media, and new media in Canada’s media landscape. In addition, Danica is a qualified Ontario educator and has taught students from kindergarten through graduate school. This year she is teaching first grade. Danica finds joy swimming, baking banana bread and playing Scrabble. 

Research Assistant

Frankie Collura is a Ph.D. student in the joint Communication and Culture program at Ryerson University and York University. An intersectional sports scholar, Frankie’s research looks at queer soccer players in an attempt to examine cultural experiences and inclusive/exclusive policies across North America and Europe. Frankie’s work aims to provide insight into the lived realities of queer soccer players in an attempt to promote and implement inclusive policy change across the broader soccer landscape. In his free time, Frankie is an Italian soccer fan, supporting the Italian National Team and Juventus. Frankie is also a huge hockey fan, supporting the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs.